This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen
on .
It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
Australia Covid live news update: riot police in Melbourne as protesters head to parliament; NSW records 1,022 cases, 10 deaths; Victoria records 603 cases, one death
Australia Covid live news update: riot police in Melbourne as protesters head to parliament; NSW records 1,022 cases, 10 deaths; Victoria records 603 cases, one death
(32 minutes later)
Follow today’s news
Follow today’s news
Western Australia has launched a $3.6m advertising Covid-19 vaccine advertising campaign which promises to “take the audience on an emotional journey” — a journey which hopefully ends with WA catching up to the rest of the country in vaccination rates.
Canberra has notched up another 16 coronavirus infections as the ACT boosts mental health funding to help get residents through lockdown, reports Georgie Moore from AAP.
Says premier Mark McGowan:
Of Tuesday’s cases, nine were linked to known sources, and at least 11 were in the community for part of their infectious period.
The vital campaign serves as a poignant reminder that vaccination is the way out of the Covid-19 pandemic and that we should all Roll up for WA and work together to get life back to what we know and love, and safeguard what we’re so lucky to have.”
ACT chief minister Andrew Barr has announced an additional $14 million to boost immediate and longer-term mental health services.
McGowan said his government’s “strong approach” to Covid-19 “has put WA in a fortunate position to host a historic 2021 AFL grand final,” and “what better event to highlight the importance of vaccines than at the Grand Final”, he added.
This includes boosted support for people with eating disorders, alcohol and drug services, and Indigenous and social housing residents.
The agricultural show he mentions is the Perth Royal Show, which isn’t really a nation-stopper.
The territory’s lockdown is scheduled to run until October 15.
Anyway. There’ll be a booking stand outside Optus Stadium on Saturday, and the ad will be played on the big screens in the stadium before the game.
Not a totally well-organised protest then...
And the ad features the WA symphony orchestra doing a version of ‘What a wonderful world,’ which is lovely, and stars Sheree, a Nyiyaparli and Banjima woman who is studying nursing. (The government press release didn’t give a surname)
The protesters have made their way across most of the Melbourne CBD now, heading towards Flinder’s St Station.
It really is very nice. You can watch it here.
Back up to Queensland for a second:
Here is that clip. I’ll see if I can get you a better version.
The former deputy chief medical officer, Nick Coatsworth, has told the Covid-19 committee that his message on Australia’s response to Covid-19 is one of “cautious optimism”.
More on the alleged assault of news reporter Paul Dowsley, from the secretary of the Victorian trade halls council.
Coatsworth, who is now executive director of medical services at Canberra hospital, said Australia is in a “very different” position in 2021. NSW, Victoria and the ACT are managing Covid outbreaks, Australia has “increasing but not yet optimal” vaccination rates” and other Covid treatments are improving.
At least one media person has allegedly been assaulted at the Melbourne protests.
Coatsworth cited treatments such as antibody drug sotrovimab, and improved learning around techniques like “proning” (lying patients on their front). Coatsworth noted that vaccination “won’t be mandatory for everyone” so it’s significant that treatments are improving for those who will acquire Covid-19. The length of stay of patients in Covid wards is now shorter, he said.
Here is 7 News reporter Paul Dowsley speaking just now during a live cross:
Coatsworth explained sotrovimab binds to the virus, drawing them to the attention of the immune system to prevent them reproducing to prevent serious illness.
There is so much going on but the ACT leaders have just stood up for their daily press conference. I’ll bring you all the updates as soon as I can but for now there have been 16 new local cases in the territory:
Coatsworth said:
Here are some overhead shots of those massive crowds at the Melbourne protest.
McManus was asked while speaking to the ABC if she or any other union heads were concerned about their safety at the moment.
Omar Khorshid told the Covid-19 committee that the AMA believes 12- to 15-year-olds who want to be vaccinated should be able to “before any substantial opening up so they’re not exposed to risk before they have had the opportunity” to be vaccinated.
McManus:
The AMA doesn’t have a position on whether children should be included in the 70% and 80% reopening targets but Khorshid noted the Doherty Institute model says there is “not a lot of difference” if kids are in or out. “That doesn’t tell us what decision we should make as a society,” he said.
National secretary of the Australian council of trade unions, Sally McManus is speaking to ABC about these, apparently, tradie-led protests in Melbourne.
Earlier, Khorshid noted that despite some preliminary results saying that younger children can be given Pfizer, there is no definitive medical advice on that – no vaccines are yet approved for 11 and under in Australia.
She maintains far-right groups make up the main force of the demonstration:
Khorshid said younger children should be protected through “risk mitigation”, including better ventilation in schools and vaccination of school staff and their parents.
Well, here is some cheerier news!
Up to 50 people at private functions are now allowed on dance floors in South Australia.
It seems the Melbourne protesters are headed towards the state parliament building, where lines of mounted police and officers in riot gear are lined up.
Omar Khorshid, the Australian Medical Association president, has warned that Australia’s healthcare system “already operating at beyond its capacity before the pandemic” is starting to see “compromises of routine healthcare”.At the Senate Covid-19 Committee, Khorshid said this could be seen in elective surgery cancellations, private hospitals acting as surge capacity for Covid, particularly in NSW, and in care delayed. GPs have done their best to remain open and offer telehealth but some patients have stayed away.
He warned that non-Covid healthcare “has deteriorated” and this will have “significant impacts” on Australians for years to come:
Back to the Melbourne protest and for the last 10 or 15 minutes it seems the group has been on the move, marching speedily down the main road.
Here is one of the protesters holding a rubber bullet, although it’s unclear if this was fired during today’s standoff.
Victoria’s treasurer Tim Pallas is speaking more about the protests and construction lockdown now:
Martin Foley is directly addressing the decision to suspend the construction sector for two weeks that came through last night. He says ongoing Covid outbreaks seeding into the regions and poor levels of compliance have played into the decision.
There are now 403 cases directly linked to construction across 186 construction sites.
Foley:
Victorian press conference:
Martin Foley is turning to the vaccine rollout, which has expanded to 12- to 15-year-olds: 73.4% of Victorians have now received the first dose of a vaccine; 44.4% are fully vaccinated:
Brad Hazzard is asked if the Byron Bay case is a local:
NSW press conference:
Deputy CHO Dr Marianne Gale:
Victorian press conference:
Victorian health minister Martin Foley and chief health officer Brett Sutton are up now, confirming that there have been 603 new local cases overnight, and, sadly, one further death – a woman in her 70s from the Hume region.
There are now 6,000 active cases across the state.
There are 241 people being treated in hospital with Covid-19, including 60 in intensive care and 39 on ventilators. As of yesterday, 85% of cases in hospital had not received a vaccine, 13% were partially vaccinated and three were fully vaccinated.
There were 40,811 vaccine doses administered across state-run hubs, and 48,829 test results received.
